Radiation Protection Dosimetry Advance Access originally published online on August 17, 2009
Radiation Protection Dosimetry 2009 136(2):118-126; doi:10.1093/rpd/ncp144
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Patient doses in CT Examinations in 18 countries: initial results from international atomic energy agency projects
1 Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, PO Box 743, Arusha, Tanzania
2 Sudan Atomic Energy Commission, PO Box 3001, Khartoum, Sudan
3 Clinical Centre of University of Sarajevo, Bolnicka 25-71000, Sarajevo, Federation of Bosnia & Herzegovina
4 Centre National de Radioprotection, Rabat, Agdal, Morocco
5 Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, PO Box 522, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia
6 Institute of Radiology, Clinical Centre, Skopje, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
7 North Estonia Regional Hospital, Hiiu Street 44, 11619 Tallinn, Estonia
8 St. Luke's Hospital, St. Luke's Road, Guardamangi, Malta
9 Atomic Energy Commission of Syria, Damascus, Syria
10 Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Tiwanon Road, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
11 Clinical Centre Banja Luka, 12 Beba 6, 7800 Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia & Herzegovina
12 Department of Radiology Technology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, College of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan
13 Center National de Radioprotection, Hospital d'Enfants, Place Bab, Saadoun, 1006 Tunis, Tunisia
14 Department of Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, University Hospital Olomouc, I.P. Pavlova 6, 775 20 Olomouc, Czech Republic
15 Radiation Protection Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, PO Box LG 80, Legon, Accra, Ghana
16 Radiology Department, Al-Sabah Hospital, Shuwaikh, Kuwait
17 National Centre of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, 132 Kliment Ohridski, 1756 Sofia, Bulgaria
18 Division of Radiation and Medical Devices, Commissariat à l'énergie atomique, Centre de recherche nucléaire d'alger 2, Boulevard Frantz Fanon, B.P. 399, Alger-Gare, Algeria
19 Kenyatta National Hospital, PO Box 20723, Nairobi, Kenya
20 International Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramer Strasse 5, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
* Corresponding author: M.Rehani{at}iaea.org
Received December 30, 2008, amended July 4, 2009, accepted July 16, 2009
The purpose of this prospective study at 73 facilities in 18 countries in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe was to investigate if the CT doses to adult patients in developing countries are higher than international standards. The dose assessment was performed in terms of weighted computed tomography dose index (CTDIw) and dose length product (DLP) for chest, chest (high resolution), lumbar spine, abdomen and pelvis CT examinations using standard methods. Except in one case, the mean CTDIw values were below diagnostic reference level (DRL) while for DLP, 17 % of situations were above DRLs. The resulting CT images were of adequate quality for diagnosis. The CTDIw and DLP data presented herein are largely similar to those from two recent national surveys. The study has shown a stronger need to create awareness and training of radiology personnel as well as monitoring of radiation doses in many developing countries so as to conform to the ALARA principle.